


Roadside Attractions

by HeathNils



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe, Attorney!Invel, Based Very Loosely on the Movie, BroTP!GraTsu, Drifter!Sting, Invel x Zeref, Kidnapping/Murder Plots, M/M, Nurse!Mirajane, Poisoning, Sick!Silver, The Aristocats (1970) References, Wealthy!Gray, ZerVel(?)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2020-03-29 01:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19013398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeathNils/pseuds/HeathNils
Summary: "It's crazy to think how much one person can effect you."- UnknownWhen the same mysterious ailment that took his wife begins to seize him, Silver decides to set his affairs in order and names his only son, Gray Fullbuster, the sole beneficiary of his fortune and estate much to the ire of his long-time business partner Mard Geer who plots to 'remove' the boy. Due to a mishap, Gray ends up in the rural countryside, lost and confused where he meets a traveling drifter named Sting who agrees to help guide him home and as the two men travel together, they began to form a bond that was more then just 'passing acquaintances'.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration struck once more and this time it happened when my sister and I were watching the Disney 1970 classic, The Aristo Cats on Roku/Vudu one night. The idea sat and rolled around in my head for while and after a night of sleeping on it, I started to flesh it out. I knew I wanted to make Sting the hero because-- Oh my glob why not X3-- and I really liked the idea of a vagabond!Sting but I had a hard time picking out the potential love interest who play the rich, aristocratic damsel in distress and it was a hard choice. Honestly it really was.
> 
> Rufus was the first (and some odd reason, probably just because of the way he just held, spoke and dressed himself) obvious choice but I ruled him out pretty quickly as I already had a few Sting x Rufus, Rufus x Freed and Gray x Rufus fanfics lined up and one of which had a plot similar to this one.
> 
> Rogue was my next choice, because who doesn't like a good old fashion StinGue fic, but I eliminated him in the end as I had already a Gajeel x Rogue fic where Rogue was already playing the damsel in distress from a wealthy family and I had one more lined up. It also doesn't help that I like making Rogue the kidnapping victim more then I should (Poor Rogue).
> 
> Natsu was another possible contender but he fell through as I couldn't see Natsu as someone of a wealthy background, even with the amount of good fanfics I've read that have circled the internet where they worked Natsu as such. Hell, I couldn't even get Larcade to work in my mind with the position even though the wealthy background could work for him.
> 
> I actually considered shelving the idea and coming back to it later once I put my 'doorstopper' story ideas out when I got sidetracked (surprise surprise) by a fanfic series 'I'm with Them' by a group of writers splendidlyimperfect, lastoneleft and friendlyneighberhoodfairy. All 36 part ficlets are beautifully written and I was inspired once more and thus I chose a Sting x Gray in the end.
> 
> A must-read if you get a chance.

It had been several months after he had to bury his loving and beautiful wife of 18 years when he started feeling under the weather.

He started developing headaches, suffered from drowsiness and was constantly dizzy but he merely shook it off as overworking himself and not getting enough sleep but the symptoms seemed to persist. When he went to his self-made business one day and by the time he got to his office, he was panting heavily, sweating profusely and feeling very nauseous, almost collapsing then and there much to the worry and concern of his employees and his business partner. Again, he merely dismissed their concerns and credited the symptoms as that of the common, everyday flu but as Autumn progressed into Winter and then transitioned into Spring, they only seemed to become worse. He had woken up one morning with confusion that quickly turned into severe stomach pains and muscle cramping, severe diarrhea and violent vomiting that lead to heavy breathing and violent convulsions, prompting his 17 year old son, his only child, to call paramedics and when they had taken him to the hospital and told him the results, he knew he could no longer brush it aside.

He had been diagnosed with the same unknown, incurable ailment that plagued his wife a year before she had died.

He tried to remain calm and take the news with as much optimism as he could, despite his son's and his business partner's shock and horror but once he was alone in his room, he let out his panic, his fears and insecurities. He had no idea what he was really going to do, he hadn't really thought of the idea of Death at all, not even after his wife had succumb to it several ago ago and he honestly didn't think he had to; after all, he was a tall, healthy, well-built and rather good-looking for 37 year old man. He had dark eyes and matching dark hair that he kept short and was styled into a number of spiky strands pointing backwards with some prominent spikes topping his forehead; his thin sideburns reach down to the stubble covering the majority of his chin. He had a sharp face, with defined facial features and slight wrinkles below his eyes, as well as a long scar extending from his hairline to his lower left ear that still had women swooning over him. Both of his ears were adorned by silver-colored earrings that he got during his 'wild teen' years, consisting of a ring with a little chain ending in a cross pendant.

Still smokin' hot if he said so himself.

And Death was the farthest thing from his mind.

He looked over and could see and hear through the crack his hospital door, his son sitting in a chair by his door, sobbing and his long-time business partner and his assigned nurse trying their very best to console him.

"It's going to be okay--"

"First Mom now Dad--"

"I know this is hard for you--"

"I don't want to lose my dad too!"

"Gray, you have to be strong now-- Strong for your father. He's probably just as scared as you are--"

"I can't. I can't."

"You can. I know you can."

He felt his confidence and optimism slipping as he listened to his son's anguish. He didn't think how this news was going to effect him, the poor kid was still reeling, recovering, from his mother's death, the loss of his mother and now that the same mysterious ailment was afflicting him, the poor boy now felt that he was going to lose him-- His father. He didn't want to leave his son all alone.

Not yet.

"Mard!" He called, as he struggled to sit upright. "Mard!"

A tall, lean young man with long and wavy dark purple hair that could easily reach his lower back tied up in a very large ponytail with rather messy bangs that tended to obscure his dark, slanted eyes on a number of occasions entered his room. The two of them had known each other since middle school and as they grew older, they had founded their business together, Tartaros, Fiore's well-known business in the field of computer research and data. He gasped, eyes widen considerably when he saw what he was trying to do and was quick to right at his bedside, hand pressed into his chest, trying to push him back into bed.

"Silver! Stop!" The newcomer, his full name Mard Geer, declared. "You heard the doctor. You should be resting!"

"Yeah yeah," he grunted, pushing Mard's hand away from his chest as he sat up, "Get me a nurse."

"A nurse?" Mard blinked. "Why?"

"I'm going home."

"What?!" Mard looked at him in disbelief. "Are you insane?!"

"No." Silver responded. "I'm going home. I'm going to fight this."

"How?" Mard asked. This man could be unreasonable at times. "The hospital doesn't know what you have-- _**YOU**_ don't even know what's even causing your illness... Or how to even stop it."

"I don't care." He grunted, swinging his numbed legs over the side of the bed. "I'm going home. I'm going to fight this." 

Silver lifted his gaze and landed on his 17 year old son who sat hunched over in the waiting room with a nurse who still was trying to console him. Mard's eyes followed and landed on the distraught boy as well.

"I'm gonna fight for him. I'm going to get better." He heaved a deep and heavy sigh. "For my son. For Gray."

After awhile, Mard gave him a smile and patted his back. "Very well. It'll be pointless to even to try reason and explain to you how foolish and dangerous this is. You're just as headstrong as ever."

"Damn straight." Silver grunted, flashing a toothy grin. "You know me well-- Hand me my coat."

"Don't I?" Mard chuckled. "Let's get you and Gray home."

Silver nodded. "Let's."


	2. It Worsens

Since they brought him home almost seven months ago, his dad's condition didn't seem to get any better.

In fact, it seemed to have only gotten worse.

It started out promising enough for the first month as Silver woke up with mild headaches, brief moment of confusion and mild drowsiness but he fought past them, taking his medicine and getting up and enjoying the day with his only son. True to his word that he had been keeping to his promise and striving to get better, his son being his motivation and better he was getting but that was until his unexplained ailments reared their ugly heads once more. The dizziness returned, his headaches throbbed, the drowsiness became more severe, his convulsions became violent, the stomach pains started to paralyze him, the muscle cramps became painful and his vomiting became so violent that at one point both he and Mard feared he was trying to cough up his entire digestive tract suffering severe dehydration in the process. They had returned full force to the point where Silver was spending more time either in the bathroom or in his bed then he did anywhere else.

Silver was in too much pain to even leave his bed.

He had been admitted to the hospital a total of nine times within the span of last two months and the doctors still had no explanations as to what was causing his ailment. They thought at first it was merely a type of strain of the stomach bug or the common flu since he always recovered after a trip to the ER but when Silver's condition didn't improve from the given antibiotics by the time he was admitted after the fifth time, they began to fear the worse and they immediately took samples of Silver's, his son Gray's and Mard's blood, running a large array of tests from A to Z, 0 to infinity. Some doctors believed that Silver may have contracted the virus typhus or malaria during his last business trip outside of the country but when those tests came back negative, they looked at the possibility that it was a violent strain of cholera, Ebola or influenza but once again the tests were negative.

They had no choice but to keep Silver in the hospital after his ninth admission when his convulsions had become worse, he started coughing up blood and further testing revealed that both of his kidneys and his liver were failing. While they sent more samples of Silver's hair, blood and tissue was sent to private and high class labs to be tested and waited to hear back, the doctors were forced to break the news to Mard, to Gray and any of Silver's close friends that Silver's chances of overcoming his mysterious ailment and making a full recovery was near to impossible since they had no answers or explanations to what was causing Silver's pain and so all they could do was make Silver comfortable; it was the best they could do for him.

Gray took the news rather hard.

He sat rigid in his chair in the hospital's waiting room, his legs pulled up and held tight against his chest, his arms wrapped around them as he rested the front half of his face into his knees staring blankly into the wall behind the doctor while Mard held him close, rubbing circles into his back. He was a rather tall and lean kid at 17 with a mop of messy raven hair and dark blue eyes above the one was a small scar on his forehead that was partially covered by his hair from a childhood accident. He wore a silver necklace that resembled a sword with a beautiful sapphire stone in it, a metal bracelet and a chain which is attached to the belt loops on the right side of his dark jeans; He was never seen without these three keepsakes, gifts given to him especially by his late mother, he always wore them, rain or shine, home or outside, no matter what he would be doing on a given minute.

"We're sorry. But there is nothing else we can do."

Gray was numb, his brain was thrumming but it was nothing but nonsensical sound and a blur of colors. The doctor gave Gray one last sympathetic pat on his shoulder before he then turned on his heel and disappeared down a long hallway, likely to attend another patient, leaving the two men. It was as if the whole world was finally coming down on him; First, his mother-- Now his father.

What was going to happen to him?

"Gray?"

Where would he go now?

"Gray."

He knew of no one else outside the family.

"Gray!"

Gray jolted and turned, wide-eyed to Mard, who smiled at him sadly and regarded him with a mixture of pity and sympathy. His hold on his back, warm and soothing.

"Your father would like to see you."

Gray could feel the ice-cold fear seizing his limbs and sinking to the pit of his stomach as he briefly looked to the room next to him that held his father before he turned and stared at Mard in fear. He wasn't sure if he could do this-- If he was ready to face his father for what could be his last time; It was how it ended between him and his mother; She had asked to see him and then the following day she slipped into a coma and died a week later. There was so much Gray wanted to say, so much was left unsaid between them and Gray regretted never telling his mother how much he loved her and never said a proper good-bye and he regretted it everyday since. 

He wasn't ready.

He couldn't do this!

"I-I-- I don't--"

"Gray." Mard soothed. "Go see him. Please."

"I-I can't-- I can't," Gray rasped, unable to form a coherent sentence as his entire body violently shaking and tears burning in his eyes, "This-- What-- What if this-- If he dies--"

"If he does, then wouldn't you want to see him?" Mard asked. "This could be the last time you could see him, talk to him... Please... Go see your father."

There was truth behind this, Gray knew, but he was still scared, still terrified that should he go in there, his father's death would be assured. He sucked in a shaky breath and released his grip on his legs and slowly put them onto the white tile floor, clumsily pushing himself up and out of his seat. He took a few hesitant steps toward his father's room before pausing and turning to look back at Mard, unsure.

"Aren't... Aren't you..?"

Mard shook his head. "I have to meet with the executives. Figure out what we may have to do now. I should only be gone for an hour or two."

Gray gulped and he looked back toward the room. He hesitated, jumping when he left that warm hand on his back and he looked into those warm eyes.

"Remember what I told you." Mard said. "Your father is just as scared of this as you are. He needs you just as much as you need him. You must be strong."

"But-- What if-- How?"

"Just talk with him." Mard assured. "You'd be surprised how wonderful you'll feel after."

"But w-what if--"

"If he died now or tomorrow," Mard cut across, "You think you'd be any better since you never talked, never truly appreciated the moment-- Then you'll live with a regret that eat at you, never stopping until you succumb to your own death."

"But--"

"Go Gray." Mard said. "He needs you now more then ever. Go in there, talk with him and just be there for him."

Gray opened his mouth but when he couldn't think of anything else and no word came out, he closed his mouth and he steeled himself, taking a tentative step closer to the room while Mard nodded in encouragement. Gray took a deep breath and stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him and when he looked to the bed that held his father, he regretted not arguing further with Mard. He struggled to get his lungs to function properly so as to allow him to breath as he almost didn't recognize his father; He looked frail, deathly pale and had lost weight at a rather alarming rate, dark circles lined the underside of his sunken eyes and his hair lost it's shine and color and every now and then he'd cough so violently that his entire body shook.

"Hey Buddy." Silver smiled through the fit.

Gray jumped and tore his wide eyes away from the large and rather intimidating looking machines, from their tubing and needles that connected themselves to his father's body. His dad looked small, so small, buried beneath it all. Gray was quick to rush to his father's side, into his open arms as his eyes burned with the unshed tears that were fighting to escape.

"D-Dad."

The dam had crumbled and the tears flowed. Gray pressed his face into his father's chest, clutching onto the stiff and sterile gown the man wore as hot tears escaped, staining in the rather course fabric.

"Hey hey now," Silver chuckled, struggling to refrain from coughing as he held his son as tight as he could, "There's no need to cry kiddo."

Gray's shoulders shook as a sob escaped his throat, though muffled by the sounds of the beeping of the machines around them and the soft hiss of the ventilator that aided Silver in his breathing. Silver smiled, brushed his fingers through his son's hair while his other hand rubbed large, soothing circles in the smaller male's back, mindful of the areas of his arms where needles have pierced and made residence in his flesh and veins. 

"It's going to be okay." Silver cooed softly. "It's going to be okay."

"No... No it's not," Gray sobbed, "I-It's not gonna be okay!"

"I know I know--"

"F-First Mom--" Gray hiccuped, "And n-now you... Y-You can't! You j-just can't!"

"And I'm not going to," Silver assured, puling away from Gray despite his body's heavy protest, "Look at me Gray."

Gray shook his head, eyes shut firmly and sniffling, clutching weakly at his father's hospital gown.

"Gray." Silver said, a little more stern. "Look at me."

Gray obeyed and opened his watery eyes, allowing more tears to escape and still sniffled and grasping out weakly for the front of Silver's gown.

"The blood work has still yet to come back," Silver said, "And in the meantime as we wait, I'm going to be here in the hospital. I'm going to fight this-- I'm going to get better. I promise."

"B-But..."

"But--?"

"W-What if you don't get better?" Gray whimpered. "What if--"

"Then I'll do whatever it will take to prolong my life." Silver answered. "No matter the cost or how painful the it will be-- So be it."

"B-But--"

"Let's not think negatively about this kid," Silver chuckled, coughing a bit, "I'm gonna get better, one way or another, I don't care what it takes, nothing is going to stop me-- Stop me from becoming your dad."

Gray bit his lip. "I-I... I really love you Dad."

Silver smiled and pulled his son back into what could be considered a weak bone-crushing hug, wincing as the movement and force moved the needles wrong. 

"I know son."

"I... I'm s-sorry I-I don't tell you so..."

"I know," Silver repeated, tears finally appearing on his own face, "I know. I love you too."


	3. The Will

"How's the hospital dinner gruel, buddy?"

"Terrible." Gray stuck his tongue out. "How does the place expect you to get better? With tasteless sludge like this?"

"Dunno." Silver grinned. "I guess the same way I expect them to let me go home and really recover with **_REAL_** food. Man-- Jackal's cooking is starting to sound and **_T_ _AS_ _TE_** better."

Gray snorted into his food while Mard and Silver both laughed.

"Still can't cook?"

"Nope."

They were in the hospital, in the room where Silver had been admitted, enjoying a nice lunch together. Silver's condition hadn't really improved much during the month he had admitted to his semi-permanent stay in the hospital-- He was still coughing but not as violently or with blood. His convulsions had been reduced to violent trembling, he still struggled with his memories and had trouble speaking occasionally but his stomach pains had all but improved and he was able to keep food down. His liver and kidneys were still shot and as the cause of his illness or what it even was was still unknown, Silver wasn't permitted to leave.

Silver didn't let this stop him.

As promised, he spent every minute he could with Gray despite being hooked up to almost every machine the hospital possessed and carted off to a different part of the building for another set of testing on a given day. Meal times were very important to the father and son and neither would miss it, cherishing every moment like it would be their last meal together and the way Silver's health was going--

It could very well be his last.

"That reminds me--" He slowly placed his bowl onto his folding tray. He paused, his brow furrowed before he blinked and smiled. "Gray, Mard?"

Gray looked up from his bit of the sandwich in his hands.

"Yes, Silver?" Mard asked.

"I'm expecting... Expecting Invel to arrive later today."

"Invel Yura? Your attorney?" Mard blinked as Silver nodded. "May I ask why?"

Silver sighed before letting out a harsh cough. "You both know that I-- That I haven't been doing well..."

Gray trembled and Mard fixed him with a look of understanding.

"I want to get my affairs in order just..." Silver let out a heavy sigh. "Just in case."

"But you'll get better!" Gray exclaimed. "You said you would! You promised!"

"And I'm going to." Silver assured with a smile. "But this is just in case. I... I want to be sure you'll be safe and in good hands when and if it happens and I..."

Silver finished with a serious and harsh coughing fit that left him shaking and gasping for air. Gray could only nod, his grip on his sandwich rigid and pale, trembling while Mard rubbed soothing circles in his back. Silver took several deep breaths trying to even out his breathing before he spoke once again.

"You... You all remember Invel... Right?"

Gray nodded and gave a weak smile while Mard gave a rather tight smile.

"Ah yes-- How could anyone forget Invel?" Mard replied. "A man so cold, many call him the _'Winter General'_ \-- Even by the people of his own practice."

"Oh~ He's not that bad," Silver chuckled, "He's a very good man... Once you get to know him. He's coming here, to the hospital to help me finalize this... This thing as I can't... I can't..."

"Can't go to him?" Mard supplied softly. "To his office?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Mister Fullbuster?"

All three men looked over to the door to see a rather beautiful, slim young woman with a curvy, voluptuous figure and large breasts in a set of powder-pink scrubs. She had large doe-like eyes sapphire blue eyes and long, sparkling white hair which curled slightly at the end, with two bangs framing her face and reaching down to her chest. The most distinctive trait of the woman's hairstyle was a short, upward ponytail above her forehead. She gave them all a sweet smile.*

"You have a pair of visitors here to see you."

"I... I do?" Silver blinked, brow furrowed. "Visitors?"

"I'll take over from here. Thank you." A stern voice cut across.

The nurse just smiled. "Alrighty then. Enjoy your visit."

She turned on her heel and with a skip in her step, she disappeared leaving two men to step forward in her place. One was a bespectacled man with long, blue hair most of which was bunched up into a ponytail that hung past his right shoulder, reaching up to his chest. The rest of his hair was quite messy, despite his rather business-like appearance with uneven bangs falling down the sides of his face and between his eyes. He had an alert set if red eyes that hid behind a pair of glasses, eyes that were always quick to spot or notice things that people even with higher education would miss or fail to notice.

The second man had short black hair with a tuft that stuck out on top, regardless of what he attempted with it. He had gentle, warm, dark eyes and a rather abnormally set of sharp canines that showed when and if he grinned. He wore a simple but tasteful white turtleneck and black pants and his neck was a small circular pendant, a pendant he was never seen without.

"Invel." Silver grinned with a small cough. "Glad you were able to come-- And I see you brought the husband with you."

"Forgive me." The blue-haired man, Invel, said as he place his brief case on top of a nearby table. "Originally it was going only be myself but then Natsu got wind of this trip and wanted to come along--" 

"Natsu?" Gray perked at the familiar name. He looked to Invel. "Natsu's here?"

"No." Invel answered. "I told him he was stay put at home with Zeref and Larcade. That boy is far much too energetic for the hospital but Zeref--"

"I decided to tag along and see if you'd like come back to our home with me," The other man, Zeref, smiled toward Gray, "I'm sure Natsu would really enjoy having you coming over to visit us for a tiny bit. Babysitting his 5 year old nephew isn't as fun as he thought it was going to be."

Gray grinned. "The moron. Buuut--"

Gray frowned and looked to his father who only smiled.

"Am I... Is it okay?" His eyes moved between Silver and Mard. "Can I?"

"Of course." Silver smiled. 

"Go. Have some fun." Mard agreed. "Tell Natsu we all said _'Hello'_."

"B-But--"

"It's okay buddy." Silver smiled as another coughing fit. "You go with Zeref here and play with your friends. It'll only be for a couple of hours... Then- Then you can come back and stay with me... Until the hospital says enough."

Gray looked away, letting out a soft sigh then looked back to his father. "You... You promise?"

"I promise Buddy." Silver nodded. "Now go hang out with Natsu... I'll be right here when you come back."

"Ok."

Now with a bright smile on his face, Gray quickly placed whatever uneaten food he had back onto the serving tray and quickly pushed himself up and off his chair. He grabbed his favorite white trench coat and his saddlebag, gave Silver and Mard both a tight hug, telling them each he loved them and then quickly returned to Zeref's side.

"Ok. Let's go." Gray said. "That jerk owes me a rematch in Smash Bros."

"Hmm." Zeref chuckled. "Funny... Natsu just told me that right before we left to come here--"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Zeref turned to look at Invel, leaning toward him. "We'll be taking our leave. See you in a couple of hours."

"Mm." Invel nodded, giving the dark-haired man a sweet and warm smile. A rare thing to see for anyone who truly knew Invel Yura. "Be sure those two don't destroy our house... Or wake Larcade from his 12 o' clock nap."

"I will." Zeref said, placing a soft kiss to Invel's lips. "I love you."

"Love you too." Invel waved his hand in a shooing motion. "Now, off with the two of you."

Zeref smiled and turned to Gray. "Alright. Let us go Gray."

"Yeah!"

The two men began to walk down the hall, toward the lobby. Gray had a bit a spring in his step as he began leading ahead of Zeref toward the parking garage.

"You seem to be in good spirits Gray." Zeref noted.

"Am I?" Gray blinked, slowing in his pace to look at the other ravenette. "Is... Is it bad?"

"Oh no. Far from it." Zeref assured. "I mean nothing bad by it... It's a rather nice change."

Gray sighed. "I'm scared."

"I can imagine." Zeref said. "What is that scares you?"

"..."

"What?" Zeref blinked. "I'm sorry but I didn't quite catch that..."

"I don't want to lose Dad." Gray said. "He's... He's all I have left..."

"You won't," Zeref assured, "Your father looks to be improving."

"Yeah." Gray became downcast once more. "But it seems that every time he's getting better and improving, he suddenly has another episode and then he's back at square one."

" _'Episode'_?"

Gray shrugged. "He has these seizures-- One day, he gets better then the next day, he has an _'episode'_ his vitals crash and crash hard. There are times when we visit, he almost doesn't recognize me or Mard when he either comes to or when he first wakes up. His coughing gets bad, he's freezing and gets a really bad fever-- The doctor says it could be a sign of delirium... Or he might be suffering from early onset Alzheimer's."

"I see." Zeref's eyes narrowed and he pulled out his phone. "What else?"

"The doctor said that Dad's kidneys and liver are so bad-- They had to place him into surgery and had them yanked out." Gray sighed, not noticing how Zeref slowed further in his pace as he began texting. "The blood work still hasn't come back-- So now our only hope now is to put Dad on dialysis while we wait for a kidney **_AND_** liver donor and hope it'll cure him of whatever's making him sick once and for all." 

"Still no clue as to what made him sick in the first place?"

"No." Gray shook his head. "It was just like with Mom-- He was fine, nothing was wrong then the next day he's throwing up, gets really bad bloody diarrhea, has trouble eating and gets stomach pain pains so bad he actually cries."

Gray blinked, turning around to face the ravenette.

"Zeref?"

"Hmm?" The ravenette looked up from his phone to regard the other male. "Yes Gray?"

"Why are you asking?" Gray asked. 

"Just curious." Zeref answered with a smile. "I'm a doctor too remember."

"Oh yeah," Gray blinked before giving a small laugh, "I forgot. You even own a your own lab."

"Funny how that one can never just leave work despite not either being on the clock or even scheduled to work, huh?"

"Yeah." Gray nodded. "Who are you texting?"

"Natsu." Zeref answered, snapping his phone off after sending the message. "He's wondering what's taking us so long-- Told him it was my fault. We better get going before he does something stupid." 

"Yeah." Gray nodded, grinning. "Invel might get really mad if the house gets destroyed or if Larcade doesn't get his nap."

* * *

_Something's fishy, Silver's symptoms are not sitting right with me._

_Get me a sample of both Silver's hair and blood and have it sent to the lab, straight to Neinhart and have him look for poison. Any kind or poison._

_Love you_ 💕.

Invel furrowed his brow as he read his husband's text before looking back toward Silver as the man talked with Mard. Zeref left with Gray barely 10 minutes ago when his cellphone pinged letting him know he received a text message, he thought of ignoring at first, believing it to either be his grandfather-in-law, August** or someone from his practice firm. Curiosity won out and he answered it to see it was from Zeref and thought at first it was a reminder to remember to eat or not to forget anything when he left but when he read it and he thought back on it--

He was starting to become suspicious as well.

"Invel..."

Invel blinked and turned to the rather pale, sickly man. "Ah- Yes, Silver?"

"The reason I called--" Silver suddenly paused as a violent coughing fit tore through him. Mard was at his side, patting his back, once his breathing even out, he spoke again. "I've... I've asked you to come here on a very important legal matter."

Invel nodded, shutting off his phone and pocketing it. "Indeed. What legal matter is it that you are wishing to pursue or execute?"

Silver looked to the ravenette who still held him. "Mard?"

"Yes Silver?"

"Would you... Would you step out... For a moment?" Silver asked, patting the hand on his shoulder. "This... This is private..."

"Very well." Mard smiled, patting Silver's shoulder. "I'll be right outside the door if you need me."

"Thank you."

Mard stood up and made his way to the door and stepped outside into hallway. Once the door closed with a soft snap, Silver turned to Invel. Face set and eyes stern.

"I want to make my will."

"You want... A will?" Invel blinked, looking back at the sickly male. "Are... Are you sure?"

* * *

Outside the hospital room, unaware by the two men, Mard Geer listened into their conservation.

 _'Will?'_ A ghost of a smile began to appear. _'Well now...'_

* * *

"You are still 40 years young," Invel said, pulling out the necessary documents, "Surely-- This is a bit extreme--"

"My condition is literally going down the drain Invel. We can't lie about this any longer... I no longer have it in me." Silver sighed, leaning deeper into his bed, his body weak. "The doctors still don't have answers as to what's going on-- I have no liver, no kidneys, I think my lungs are halfway out the door-- I can't breath on my own, I'm in constant pain, I can longer walk on my own, my mind's losing its grasp-- Hell, I'm slowly losing the ability to recognize my own son!"

Invel remained silent.

"My wife-- My beloved, sweet Mika-- She died the same way," Silver said, "No answers, no help-- If I were to die, today, tomorrow or next week what'll happen to my company? What'll become of my only son? Where will he go?"

"Very well." Invel sighed, pulled out a pen and began writing. "Who would you like as the beneficiaries and to what?"

"Well, as you know as a fellow father, I naturally want to make sure my son will always be well-cared for, taken care of... Long after I have passed." Silver replied and Invel nodded. "I have no doubt in my mind that no one can do this better than my long-time partner, Mard Geer..."

"Mard?"

* * *

Mard paused, listening in harder the minute his name was passed.

This was starting to sound promising.

* * *

"If I'm understanding you, you mean to say you're leaving everything you own to your business partner?" Invel fixed Silver with an unreadable expression. This wasn't what he would do as a father. "Everything you possess? Your vast fortune? The software company you build up, it's stocks and bonds? The family home? Your country chateau? Your life insurance and--"

"Indeed." Silver said. "That is-- Until Gray turns 18."

" _'Until Gray turns 18'_?" Invel echoed, pausing in his writing

* * *

Mard's face went sour.

_'What?'_

* * *

"Yep." Silver smiled. "Mard will hold onto everything until December 17th of this year... On that day, Gray will turn 18, once he becomes an adult on his birthday-- I want to have my son inherit everything."

"Very well."

"I want my life insurance policy to be withheld until my son turns 18." Silver stated. "Then it and along with my wife's policy will be deposited straight into his bank account. The deeds and titles to the house, to the company, to the chateau and to all vehicles we've ever owned will be placed in a locked box under my name. Not to be accessed until December 17th... What he does with them is his choice."

"Very well." Invel nodded, jotting the notes down. "And Mard--?"

"Mard will take control of the company we built up together." Silver coughed. "I don't think Gray wants to run the company. But the control over the stocks are to be sent to Gray."

Invel nodded, writing that down as well.

"But!"

Invel paused in his writing, eyes snapped back up to the man. Silver let out a heavy exhale, allowing another coughing fit to over take him briefly before he spoke once more.  
"If... If Gray is to suddenly to fall sick, if he was to gain this disease... This ailment..." Silver's voice was heavy with emotion, "Since... Since there are no answers and if this... Hereditary or genetic... If Gray were to die-- the entire Fullbuster estate will then revert to Mard Geer... What he does with everything... Is up to him."

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the hospital room, Mard stood beside the door. He was furious, fuming.

 _'I only inherit everything for several months--'_ He seethed, _'Then the brat inherits everything?'_

The indigo haired man pushed himself off the wall near the door. He walked down the long sterile hallway, away from the room.

 _'It's... it's not fair.'_ He had decided. _'I can't keep this up! I'm 35 already and if I leave the boy the way he is now, he'll out live me by another 60 years. I can't keep playing this game-- I can't wait...'_

He paused and looked back toward the room.

 _'No.'_ He sneered. _'He'll be gone. That brat has to go.'_

He pulled out his cellphone and began scrolling down his list of contacts until he found a name he was looking for. He smiled and quickly selected it, placing the phone to his ear as he walked out of the ICU and out the hospital.

"Good you picked up." Mard smiled. "I need a favor--"

* * *

"I think that'll cover it." Silver sighed as he leaned back into his bed. "That's... That's all I wanted done."

"Alright." Invel nodded, writing the last few notes. He held out the clipboard toward the weak man. "Now if you can sign these-- Verifying that you indeed agreed to these terms and conditions that were set."

Silver nodded and slowly, clumsily pushed himself up into a sitting position before he suddenly slipped. Invel moved quick, right by the man's side when Silver nearly lost his balance, letting out a violent series of gasps and coughs and that was when he saw it. There, on Silver's pillow, was several strands of hair. Invel's eyes narrowed as he stared at the clumps of hair as he held the weakened man up.

He was defiantly talking to doctors and his husband later.

Once the coughing had subsided and his breathing was stable, Silver signed all the papers Invel had highlighted for him, he patted the arms that held.

"You set me down now."

"Ah... I apologize." Invel nodded.

"Thanks." Silver yawned. "I think I'll rest... Can... Can you rest Mard know?"

"Sure."

Silver then fell asleep as the blue-silverette watched. After awhile, Invel quickly but quietly gathered all his things, packing them perfectly and securely into his briefcase before dimming the lights and stepping out of the room. He was quick to flag down a nearby doctor.

"I need a sample of Silver Fullbuster's blood and hair." Invel held up a badge. "I want them sent straight to the Alvarez Lab Corp. Immediately!"

"Y-Yes sir!"

Something was indeed 'fishy' and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *= Guess who? >w<
> 
> ** = Now, I'm well aware August was actually Zeref's son and Larcade was merely a near-perfect etherious creation worthy of the Dragneel name but this is an AU and to each their own.

**Author's Note:**

> All Fairy Tail characters belong to Hiro Mashida
> 
> All original characters are mine.


End file.
